New antibody aims to block muscle wasting in rare disease

NCT ID NCT05548556

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This Phase 2 trial tests a drug called RO7204239 in 51 adults with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), a genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. The drug is an antibody that blocks myostatin, a protein that normally limits muscle growth, to help preserve or increase muscle. Participants receive either the drug or a placebo by injection every 4 weeks, and researchers measure changes in muscle volume and safety over time.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
RO7204239 (a lab-made antibody that blocks myostatin, a protein that limits muscle growth)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a treatment that slows muscle loss and preserves strength in people with FSHD.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early Phase 2 trial with only 51 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The drug may not improve muscle function or could cause side effects.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Asst Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda

    Milan, Lombardy, 20162, Italy

  • Kennedy Krieger Institute

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States

  • National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery,

    London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom

  • Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli

    Rome, Lazio, 00168, Italy

  • Regents of the University of Colorado

    Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

  • Rigshospitalet

    København Ø, 2100, Denmark

  • Royal Victoria Infirmary

    Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, United Kingdom

  • University of Irvine Medical Center (UCIMC)

    Orange, California, 92868, United States

  • University of Kansas Medical Center

    Fairway, Kansas, 66205, United States

  • Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center

    Richmond, Virginia, 23298-0599, United States

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